Theatres of Life

This catalogue accompanies the first ever loan exhibition of drawings from Waddesdon Manor, the house that was built and furnished by Ferdinand de Rothschild (1839-1989) to show off his works of art and to entertain the fashionable world. Most of the drawings gathered together for this exhibition have never been exhibited in pulbic and most have not been published. There are works by major French draughtsmen of the eighteenth century, including Francois Boucher, Jean-Honore Fragonard, Jean-Baptiste Greuze, Nicolas Lancret, Gabriel de Saint-Aubin and Jean-Baptiste Le Prince. Other artists are less familiar, Charles-Nicolas Cochin and Moreau le jeune among them, and it is hoped that this exhibition will introduce the visitor to the verve and originality of their work. The selection reflects the diversity of the Rothschild Collection and the overlapping preoccupations and unflagging curiosity of its creators. It encompasses observation and invention, academic learning and social comment, propaganda and reportage, and sheds light on the many different techniques and uses of drawing. It is hoped that scruntiny of these works outside their usual context will intrigue those that do not know Waddesdon, surprise those that do and give insight and pleasure to new audiences.